International Space Station Benefits for Humanity 2Nd Edition
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International Space Station Benefits for Humanity 2nd Edition This book was developed collaboratively by the members of the International Space Station Program Science Forum, which includes the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Canadian Space Agency (CSA), European Space Agency (ESA), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), and the Italian Space Agency (ASI). NP-2015-01-001-JSC i Acknowledgements A Product of the ISS Program Science Forum Executive Editor: Julie Robinson, NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration: Managing Editor: Julie Robinson, Pete Hasbrook, Amelia Rai, Tara Ruttley, Amelia Rai, NASA Camille Alleyne, Cynthia Evans, William Stefanov, Michael Read, Kirt Costello, David Hornyak, Tracy Thumm, Susan Anderson, Section Editors: Joshua Byerly, Joshua Buck Camille Alleyne, Kirt Costello, David Hornyak, Michael Read, Tara Ruttley, William Stefanov; NASA Canadian Space Agency: Nicole Buckley, Luchino Cohen, Ruth Ann Chicoine, Technical Editor: Christine Giguère Neesha Hosein, DB Consulting Group, Inc. European Space Agency: Graphic Designer: Martin Zell, Eric Istasse, Jason Hatton, Jennifer Ngo-Anh, Cynthia Bush, DB Consulting Group, Inc. Nigel Savage, Jon Weems Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency: Shigeki Kamigaichi, Kazuyuki Tasaki, Sayaka Umemura, Koki Oikawa, Hideyuki Watanabe, Nobuyoshi Fujimoto, Masato Koyama, Yayoi Miyagawa, Tatsuya Aiba, Shiho Ogawa, Toshitami Ikeda Russian Federal Space Agency: Georgy Karabadzhak, Elena Lavrenko, Igor Sorokin, Natalya Zhukova, Nataliya Biryukova, Mark Belakovskiy, Anna Kussmaul Italian Space Agency: Salvatore Pignataro, Jean Sabbagh, Germana Galoforo ii About the Cover Art Human nd Health Several themes are integrated into the cover art for this 2 International Space Station Benefits for Humanity. The most central theme is that of “bringing light to the darkness,” as indicated by the predominantly nighttime view of Earth, with both the station crew and the populace over which it soars on the verge of experiencing a new dawn. The Earth view chosen includes some of the most underdeveloped regions on the planet; home to people Earth whose lives stand to gain the greatest enrichment from the groundbreaking research being Observation conducted high overhead. and Disaster The double-headed arrow, which can be interpreted to be a stylized representation of the space station’s orbital flight path, is also the visual centerpiece for two of the remaining Response themes. The double arrow points both behind the station—back toward Earth, and ahead of the station—forward past the Earth, to the moon, Mars, and to far more distant destinations. This highlights the dual charter of station research to improve life on Earth and to lay the technological groundwork for human expansion beyond low-Earth orbit. Innovative The arrow’s color shift from silver to gold represents the third theme: “Invest silver, get Technology back gold.” This theme pays homage to the manifold benefits of knowledge realized through international investment in the space station. It also celebrates “gold” of another kind, the enrichment of life on Earth that is the subject of this volume. These benefits for humanity are represented by five gold medallions, each signifying a major area of emphasis: Human Health, Earth Observation and Disaster Response, Innovative Technology, Global Education, and Economic Development of Space. Global The final theme is also the most subtle. Although this is a publication coordinated by Education NASA, the NASA logo is absent from the front cover, in deference to the fact that the benefits chronicled herein are a result, not of any single nation’s efforts, nor those of one nation above others, but of unprecedented international partnership and cooperation. This is a benefit for humanity in and of itself, one which promises incalculable rewards not only in such tangibles as heightened international commerce, but perhaps most importantly, in greater cross-cultural understanding and tolerance, the very foundation for Economic humanity’s future. Development Michael C. Jansen of Space December 2014 iii Book Highlights Robotic arms lend a healing touch The world’s first robotic technology capable of performing surgery inside magnetic resonance machines makes difficult surgeries easier or impossible surgeries possible. Page 3 Improved eye surgery with space hardware An eye-tracking device allows the tracking of eye position without interfering with a surgeon’s work during corrective laser eye surgery. Page 6 Bringing space station ultrasound to the ends of the Earth Small ultrasound units, tele-medicine and remote guidance techniques make medical care more accessible in remote regions. Page 8 High-quality protein crystal growth experiment aboard Kibo Protein crystal growth experiments contribute to the development of medical treatments. JAXA is making positive advancements in research on obstinate diseases through experiments in space. Page 23 Earth remote sensing from the space station ISS contributes to humanity by collecting data on global climate, environmental change, and natural hazards using its unique complement of crew-operated and automated Earth observation payloads. Page 51 Advanced ISS technology supports water purification efforts worldwide At-risk areas can gain access to advanced water filtration and purification systems affording them clean drinking water. Page 65 Tomatosphere™: Sowing the seeds of discovery through student science This award-winning educational project with an estimated 3 million students participating is helping researchers answer questions about growing food in space while teaching students about science, agriculture and nutrition. Page 94 Calling cosmonauts from home Currently aboard the Russian segment of the station are four space investigations that have educational components to inspire future generations of scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians. Page 104 Commercialization of low-Earth orbit (LEO) Forward-thinking, agile companies like NanoRacks and UrtheCast believe routine utilization of the unique environment of outer space has come of age, and that at long last ISS is open for business. Page 112 Space mice teach us about muscle and bone loss Biotech and pharmaceutical companies like Amgen use spaceflight to study their drugs and do preclinical work important for FDA approval. Page 129 iv Table of Contents Acknowledgments ..........................................................................................................ii About the Cover Art ...................................................................................................... iii Book Highlights .............................................................................................................iv Executive Summary .......................................................................................................ix Introduction .................................................................................................................... x Human Health 1 Health Technology ..................................................................................................................................... 3 Robotic arms lend a healing touch ............................................................................................................ 3 Robots from space lead to one-stop breast cancer diagnosis treatment ................................................... 5 Improved eye surgery with space hardware ............................................................................................... 6 Sensor technologies for high-pressure jobs and operations ...................................................................... 7 Bringing space station ultrasound to the ends of the Earth ....................................................................... 8 Are you asthmatic? Your new helper comes from space ......................................................................... 10 Cold plasmas assist in wound healing ..................................................................................................... 10 Preventing Bone Loss ............................................................................................................................. 13 Preventing bone loss in spaceflight with prophylactic use of bisphosphonate: Health promotion of the elderly by space medicine technologies ............................................................. 13 Improved scanning technologies and insights into osteoporosis .............................................................. 15 Good diet, proper exercise help protect astronauts’ bones ..................................................................... 15 Add salt? Astronauts’ bones say please don’t ......................................................................................... 17 Immune Defenses .................................................................................................................................... 19 Early detection of immune changes prevents painful shingles in astronauts and in Earth-bound patients ........................................................................................................................... 19 Station immunology insights for Earth and space ................................................................................... 20 Targeted treatments to improve immune response .................................................................................